I’ve been living in Australia for nearly a decade and while living here, I’ve tried my best to familiarise myself with the local music scene and local visual artists and whatnot. But recently, I’ve realised that I haven’t read any books by Australian authors, I just don’t know of many that I think I would like. Libraries near me put little flag stickers on books by local authors, so it’s easy to find them, but I’m just not sure where to really start.
The only Aussie author I can recall reading is Krystal Sutherland.
Books I plan to read by Australian authors:
– The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
– The Will of the Many by James Islington
Genres I will read:
– non-fiction (depends on the subject, history is preferred)
– fantasy (both adult & YA)
– sci fi
– dystopian
– horror
– mystery/thriller
I am not very interested in romance, but if you have fantasy romance suggestions, I might be interested if it’s not too smutty.
As you can see, I don’t know of many. What should I read? Thanks in advance
by swedensalty
15 Comments
‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ by Joan Lindsay
‘Set on Valentine’s Day, 1900, when three schoolgirls and their teacher from nearby Appleyard College set out to explore the rock and are never seen again. Their disappearance, shrouded in mystery, rattles the college’s otherwise careful community.’ – Readings website
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan is a harrowing, fantastic book.
A Single Stone is a YA dystopia
https://www.amazon.com.au/Single-Stone-Meg-McKinlay/dp/1925081702
The Orchid Nursery is for an older audience, from memory.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26149117-the-orchid-nursery
Might be worth looking at Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe for an indigenous non-fiction.
Jay kristoff! He has a bad ass vampire novel
Christian White! He writes mystery thrillers. I’ve read two of his three books and really enjoyed them.
Carpenteria by Alexis Wright. Also the Swan Book.
Cloudstreet by Tim Winton is like literary magical realism.
Nonfiction:
– Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe
– The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke
– Another Day in the Colony by Chelsea Watego
– The Colony: a history of early Sydney by Grace Karskens
Anything by Matt Nable. Not just a great actor.
He writes roots level Aussie life with a bit of a mystery/thriller edge.
Candice Fox writes a decent detective thriller. Hades is a great read.
Jane Harper for crime/mystery
Peter Fitzsimons – I know he personally is quite a divisive figure (and his wife even moreso) but some of his topics are really interesting
Raymond feist for fantasy
I enjoyed The Rosie project by Graeme Simsion
And I like Kathy Lette too.
It’s been a while since I read them but I loved the Black Magician series by Trudi Canavan! She also has another series called The Age of Five which I can remember enjoying too.
[Nevermoor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/6a6d5ca1-b2f5-47be-828c-018144d3bbc7) by Jessica Townsend! It’s middle grade fantasy, but it’s my favorite series even as an adult, and I highly highly recommend it.
I think Garth Nix is Australian, he has a fantastic series called the Old Kingdom/ Abhorsen (YA but with necromancy, so kind of dark), he has been one of my favorite authors for 20 yrs.
Lynette Noni is one of my favorites. The Prison Healer series is YA but really great. Akarnae is another one of her series that’s starts a bit middle grade but has amazing world building and found family. I enjoyed both series a lot.
Nevil Shute lived in Australia in his later life (died in Melbourne), On the Beach is a classic.